Moebius
by Aubergine 28
Summary: Yuki ran away to New York City after graduating high school and one fateful night, years later, Kyo finds him. Sounds corny but maybe in that semi-acceptable fuzzy way? T for lanuage & eventual slash
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: All of the characters in this fic belong to Fruits Baskets. Not me

Rating: T+ for language and later………slushiness.

Chapter 1: So we meet again

The strangeness of it was what shocked him. He was seeing a prince waiting tables, knees in the mud, amongst the people. His hair was pulled back by a small, thin elastic and he was wearing a navy shirt—Café Dante printed in bold white script across the back—and dark jeans. He was balancing a glass laden tray on one slim wrist with that same divine grace that he'd possessed at age fourteen—finally growing out of his asthma and the Main House. And he was there, right in front of Kyo, some odd, mismatched apparition from the past. He'd hardly aged a day.

He looked happier though. Right before he'd left Kyo had grudgingly acknowledged that the rat was feeling his rejection from Tohru rather strongly, and then with Akito dying so soon afterward. It had seemed like a god-send to Kyo but the nezumi was a bit fucked in the head when it came to Akito. And then he'd vanished, the day after graduation, all that was left being a note written in his careful, elegant hand. He was leaving the country. Not to worry. It wasn't anyone's fault, he needed to find his own freedom or some more elegant phrasing of that.

Tohru had cried madly for hours but Hatori'd talked her down. He probably knew Yuki the best, at least the extent of what happened in those long lost days at the Main House, when Kyo'd been off in the mountains. What it must have been like, living there alone as he was…

"What may I get for you today, sir?"Kyo looked up at the bent head above him. And here he was, notepad in hand, looking so fulfilled and exhausted all at once.

"Yuki?" He dropped his notepad and peered into Kyo's face, seeing him for the first time that sun thick afternoon.

"K-Kyo? What are you doing here?"

"We're taking a summer holiday." Kyo said softly, in Japanese now. Yuki paled.

"We?" he asked rather breathlessly and Kyo was fleetingly reminded of the day Yuki had an asthma attack on the track test. God he'd been scared shitless. The nezumi had been gasping in such an evidently pain-filled way Kyo's heart had dropped to his feet with fear.

"Can you sit for a minute? Will your…boss…mind?" Kyo asked, still grappling with the idea that Yuki would work as wait staff for anyone, ever. Yuki fell to the chair opposite him in the sort of legless way that made Kyo glad he'd suggested it.

"I'll just tell her I'm taking my break now." Yuki said, still looking shaky. "Who came with you?"

"It's just Tohru and I." Kyo lied. If Yuki was this stressed over just Kyo anyone more might send him running.

"She'd love to see you if you're free tonight." Yuki looked at Kyo in a rather dazed way.

"See…Honda-san?" he repeated blankly. "It's been awhile."

"Five years."

"She's been counting?"

"Everyone has."

"I didn't mean to worry anyone I just…I needed to get away from it…all…" Yuki looked stressed now and Kyo wished he hadn't brought up the past. An awkward silence fell and Kyo was tempted to just up and go but seeing Yuki, looking so different, it was so strange, so... And more importantly Tohru would want to see him, desperately.

"Hey, um, are you free tonight?" he asked gruffly. Yuki was silent for a moment, running a hand through his hair, pulling away the elastic without noticing. He then looked up at Kyo and it was as if they were meeting again, somehow for the first time.

Those eyes had changed. They'd been so shuttered before, so cleared of emotion that you felt you needn't even be in the room. God how arrogant he'd seemed. Now though, there was vitality there, an evidence of deep rooted vulnerability and strength and overcomeance. If he'd been eye-catching before, as a cool ice prince, now he was…

"Yes." Yuki said, interrupting his reverie.

"Would you, er, dinner?" Kyo said feeling more awkward by the minute. It felt more and more like he was asking Yuki out on a date. Thankfully Yuki was still too disoriented to make Kyo's awkwardness apparent.

"I…I get off at seven."

"Great I'll pick you up then." Kyo said quickly. Then picked up his jacket and made a hurried dash to the door.

When he got back to the hotel Tohru was still napping. He wondered how he would tell her. Would she be happy? Upset? Would seeing Yuki looking so tired worry her? He'd looked exhausted. Was his health going bad again? Should he tell Hatori?

But Yuki'd looked so nervous at the thought at seeing everyone. And even if he'd looked a bit poorly he'd also looked happy. After all they'd been through he didn't want to ruin whatever Yuki had going on here. He owed him as much. And was it really his place any way?


	2. Chapter 2

Same warnings apply from last chapter. Thanks to all who reviewed! Also musical inspiration for this chapter was the song 'Your Ex-Lover is Dead' by the band Stars. In fact the title of the chappie is a direct lift from the lyrics.

Chapter 2: Live through this & you won't look back 

At six o'clock Kyo head out to the café. By himself.

When Kyo finally found his way to the café Yuki was already standing outside. He was wearing the same pair of drainpipe jeans but now he had a leather jacket on instead of the uniform shirt. Who'd have thought, Yuki wearing a leather jacket? It was so strange, and…edgy looking. So un-princely. But then his eyes alighted on Kyo's own, and they were just as gentle, and regal as always. Even when his hair was in a ponytail.

"Ah sorry I was late."

"It's fine. Um, did you have anywhere picked out?"

"Well, I was thinking just across the street here. It looked nice enough."

"The outside looks nice but trust me the food is horrible. I know a good place a block away—if you don't mind."

"Sure."

They walked in silence to the small restaurant. When they sat and ordered the quiet had yet to be broken.

"So, you're a waiter." Kyo tried. Yuki looked up from the table and nodded.

"It's temporary but yes. I'm waiting for my big break."

"Big break?" Kyo asked curiously. Yuki blushed, which was new and eerily…endearing.

"I'm an artist. I paint."

"Since when?"

"Since always. Well that's not true. Since I left the , um, Main House actually."

"I never knew."

"Well we weren't exactly friends." Yuki said cracking a cautious smile.

"I'm sorry about that Yuki." Kyo said, not realizing until he'd said it that he'd been waiting to say it since he first saw Yuki in the café that morning.

"Me too. But we were young, and things were harder." Here Yuki's eyes grew distant and Kyo was reminded of the circumstances under which he had left them all.

"It's better now though. You know, if you ever wanted to come…back." Kyo said, narrowly avoiding saying, 'come home'. Yuki was shaking his silvery head anyway.

"I can't Kyo. Not yet. There's too much there. And I'm not strong enough yet."

That talked for the rest of the evening, realizing things about each other that hate had blinded. When the night finally came to a close they shook hands and Kyo gave Yuki his mobile number. And he never told Tohru.

_Three Months Later…_

"Excuse me is this Kyo Sohma?" an American drawl sounded out of his mobile.

"Yes. Who is this?" Kyo responded in his rudimentary English.

"Are you related to a Yuki Sohma?"

"Yes." Kyo said, beginning to feel nervous.

"Well he is in the hospital and you were listed as family in his contact book."

"H-hospital? What happened? Is he alright?"

"He's going to be alright but it was a very close call. He got a very bad lung infection, which led to pneumonia and his lungs were too fragile to handle it. He went into extreme respiratory distress for awhile but he's getting better even though he's still very weak. His ankle is broken as well." The woman said clinically then sighed.

" Listen, he's not going to be fit to live by himself but he's insisted on leaving as soon as possible so could someone look after him for the next few weeks? We can't hold him here if he doesn't want to stay."

"No, no, I understand. Yes of course. I'll be there as soon as possible." Kyo hung up the phone.

He was going to New York. But…how on Earth could he pull that off without telling Tohru why? They went to the same university after all, had some of the same classes together. Just up and leaving would be obvious. And…He probably should tell Hatori too. God would he be smug. And angry. That was a distinct possibility.

Shit. He had no choice though. To think of Yuki, in that big city in the hospital, not knowing anyone or…No there was no choice in the matter. He picked up the phone again, and dialed Tohru's number.

She was shocked and hurt, which Kyo had expected but she was also confused. Why hadn't he said anything since they returned home? Three whole months and he could've said something, sworn her to secrecy, he had to know she'd keep a promise, especially if it were for Yuki's own good.

And Kyo realized he didn't know why either. Certainly Yuki might've even secretly wanted to talk to Tohru, and Tohru obviously to him so really what excuse did he have? And who exactly had he been trying to protect?


	3. Chapter 3

Same warnings & ratings. Thanks for the reviews!

Chapter 3: All your dreams are on their way

The plane ride with Hatori was awkward to say the least. The doctor didn't say anything but there was an angry aura around him and Kyo was pretty sure it was directed his way. Was it because he hadn't told anyone he knew where Yuki was? Considering what a state Yuki had gotten himself into…If that was the cause for Hatori's anger could he really blame him?

When they landed they only talked in order to figure out how to get the hospital, dragging their suitcases behind them.

They arrived at the hospital at around 11:00 in the morning but Yuki was sleeping. He looked horribly pale and fragile and and guilt overtook him. Yuki had always been sickly, and he hadn't look well that night they'd met 3 months ago. He should've have done something or said something. And he really should have told Hatori that he'd known where Yuki was.

Kyo looked over at Hatori whose face looked stiff and unreadable. At least it was unreadable to Kyo, but he was never good at reading people's emotions when they wanted to hide them. Hatori moved toward Yuki but Kyo raised a hand. Yuki didn't know that Hatori was coming. Kyo hadn't even spoken to Yuki about his own coming. Just called Tohru and Hatori and booked a flight. How awkward would this be?

"Let me just tell him what's going on before you begin your examinations, alright?" he whispered.

He tried clearing his throat but Yuki slept on oblivious. He tried again before reaching a hand and placing it on Yuki's shoulder. He shook it gently and Yuki dazedly opened his eyes which were glassy and disoriented looking.

"Kyo? You're here?" Kyo gulped nervously. They'd only just…made up. No way Yuki would want him staying in his house taking care of him. But Yuki needed someone to look after him if he wanted to leave the hospital and that person was Kyo. Well for now at least.

"I'm taking you home." He said somewhat firmly. There was silence for a moment and Kyo stood utterly still, waiting for the moment of rejection. Instead Yuki blinked and nodded.

"Alright."

"And Hatori's here." Kyo added quickly.

"Of course." Yuki sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. At least he didn't sound _too_ upset.

Yuki hobbled out of his bed, changed and then gathered his things while Kyo went with Hatori to fill out exit forms. Then they began the precarious journey to Yuki's apartment—132 N. Fifth Street and Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn. Basically an impossible location for any non-native but the cabbie thankfully knew his way around, seeing as Yuki'd fallen asleep—on Kyo's shoulder, not that he was thinking about it—within the first five minutes.

Once they arrived at the building, which was small and covered in colorful graffiti, Hatori rummaged through Yuki's bag to find his keys. Kyo meanwhile carefully maneuvered him out of the cab and carried him up the stairs of a four story walk-up and into apartment #5A. The apartment was neat but there were splashes of disorder here and there, a gaggle of paint tubes on a table, and a stack of books that had fallen over. At some point on the way up Yuki had woken but his eyes remained foggy and disoriented—the drugs they had given him Hatori said clinically. Kyo found the bedroom and laid Yuki on the lavender bedspread, taking off his shoes and gently shoving him under the blankets.

Suddenly unsure of what to do with himself, but still unwilling to face Hatori in the living room, he looked around the room and spotted an arm chair in the corner. He sat down and watched the rise and fall of Yuki's thin chest. Who'd have thought that Kyo would be the one to come to his rescue? And if Kyo'd saved Yuki and Yuki was the prince what did that make Kyo? Was Kyo the prince now and Yuki the princess?

When Kyo awoke it was to the sound of quiet coughing. Yuki was awake and had propped himself up on one elbow and was coughing into his hand in a weak, tired way.

"Alright?" Kyo asked quietly. Yuki looked up, surprised.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" he croaked.

"No don't worry." Kyo said quickly. "Do you want some water?"

"I…er, alright." Yuki said, looking uncomfortable. "Is Hatori still here?"

"Yeah." Kyo confirmed grimly. Yuki's expression dropped. "I'll try and make him lay off for awhile but I make no promises. He's mad I didn't tell him where you were, especially with, well, you getting so sick and all."

"I'm really sorry I dragged you all down here by the way." Yuki said contritely, hugging the duvet to his chest. He looked so sad, and tired, and he apologizing for getting so ill and not having anyone to look after him and was too darn depressing not to. Hug him that is.

He smelled a bit like hospital still, but his hair was soft against Kyo's check.

"Woah, am I interrupting something here?" a voice said from the doorway.


End file.
